Roland's Mistakes
by GoldenRose29
Summary: When Sofia learns the truth of her first father's death, hurt and anger surface in the royal Enchancian family. And when Amber learns of Roland's hand in her mother's death, she too is deeply hurt. Can Roland ever atone for his mistakes and how he hurt his daughters or will they forever blame him for their parent's death?
1. Chapter 1

**This story isn't super long, just an idea I was playing with. Enjoy!**

* * *

Sofia ran her pale fingers down the spines of the books on the shelves. Her latest project for Ever Realm academy was researching how past wars of their kingdom had been resolved. Amber had already finished her essay but Sofia was hesitating. She hated thinking of her kingdom at war with another over some piece of land. And Enchancia had been peaceful for as long as she could remember.

Sofia pulled out a dusty red volume on the kingdom's last war, the one that had ended when she was born. It detailed the conflict with a faraway land that had once wanted to take over Enchancia. It was during that war that King Roland I had died, killed by a spy from the enemy. The next chapters explained how her father had saved the kingdom by drafting peace treaty after peace treaty.

Stomach swirling, Sofia began to draft her own essay. At the end of it she wrote how horrid the war had been and began to list those who had been drafted into the Enchancian army and died.

But as Sofia read the book she paused at a name listed in the drafted who had fallen. This particular man had been drafted to the navy and been returning home when it was attacked. It was the last attack that had occurred before the war was resolved.

 _Johnathon Brownsten, Navy, DOD: 03/05_

Johnathon Brownsten. Her father.

* * *

"How was everyone's day?" Miranda asked as the children sat down at the dining table for dinner. Roland was away on a diplomatic mission.

"I beat Roger in a joust today," James announced, cutting into his roast. Over the last year since they'd started going to their new schools, James had had a massive growth spurt. "But he wasn't mad."

"That's wonderful. What about you girls? How was Ever Realm?"

"I passed my flag matching pop quiz," Amber bragged. "Sofia did too."

"Well done, girls," Miranda congratulated them.

"What do you know about the Sea War?" Sofia suddenly asked. "The last one Enchnacia fought with the far away kingdom. The one that mainly consisted of ship's fighting."

"Is that the war you're doing for your essay?" Amber asked excitedly. "I'm so glad you finally picked one!"

"Mom," Sofia said, ignoring her sister, her voice deadly calm. "What do you know about the Sea War?"

"Not…not much," Miranda choked, suddenly pale. "I was only a shoemaker at the time."

"But it must have effected you," Sofia countered. "Did you know anyone who was drafted into the navy?"

"Well…I, uh…"

"Someone you were close to?"

"Sofia, what's going on?" Amber asked softly, realizing Sofia was upset about something, _angry_ even.

"My father was drafted into the navy," Sofia explained, staring at their mother. "And I never knew. I didn't know that Dad forced my first father to die for a _stupid_ war!"

"Sofia…It wasn't Roland's fault," Miranda insisted. "The names were random. And he tried to end the war so many times."

"You still never told me!" Sofia exclaimed, standing up, shoving her chair away. "You never told me that my father fought in a _war_! That he didn't just get caught in a storm! That he was _murdered_!"

"I didn't want you to think ill of your new father or your home," Miranda explained.

Sofia just shook her head and left. Amber quickly followed her up the stairs.

"Sofia, wait!" Amber called after her. "Are you okay?"

"No, Amber," Sofia sighed. "I…I just didn't know. I never even knew _him_."

"James and I never knew our mother," Amber said.

"Do you know why your mother died?"

"Giving birth to twins was too much for her. She got sick."

Sofia stared at her sister, biting her tongue. Since the Secret Library had told her about Roland's wish, she hadn't said anything. But did Amber deserve to know?"

"Remember when you turned me into a cat?" Sofia asked slowly.

"Of course. With the wishing well."

"And how Dad had already used a wish?"

"Yes. But what does this have to do with my mother?"

"The Secret Library told me his story. What he wished for. He wished for children. But the price for his wish was your mother."

"He…he _wished_ for us?" Amber gasped. "She's died for a _wish_?"

"I'm sorry, Amber."

Amber was staring down in shock, eyes wide. But then she swallowed and put on her heir to the throne face. "Looks like we'll both need to talk to Daddy when he gets back."


	2. Chapter 2

"Miranda?" Roland called as he entered his chambers. His wife was sitting on an ornate couch, staring at something in her hand. "I'm home."

"I see," she replied softly, not moving.

"Miranda, what's wrong?" Roland asked, sitting next to her. Then he saw what she was holding. "Your old wedding band?"

"Sofia found a book on the Sea War. She knows how Johnathon really died," Miranda explained.

"Oh."

"She's so mad. At both of us."

"I'm so sorry, Miranda." Roland put his arms around her, pulling her close. "I know you loved him. And we'll figure this out."

* * *

The next day, after school, the two princesses found Roland sitting in his office working on a new trade agreement.

"Daddy," Amber said as they entered. "Can we talk to you?"

Roland glanced up and saw the fire in their eyes. He couldn't put this off.

"Of course," he agreed, pushing away his papers. "What's on your minds, girls?"

"The Sea War. You drafted my father into the navy," Sofia said bluntly as she sat in a chair across from his desk. "He died in the last attack."

"I know, Sofia. And I am so sorry about that. But I ended the draft as soon as I could," Roland explained. "Your mother and I were just trying to protect you by not telling you."

"He died fighting for _you_!" Sofia exclaimed. "You sent him to his death!"

"I know," Roland sighed. "I sent a lot of people to their death. And it haunts me every time I remember that war. But I _am_ sorry. What can I do?"

"I don't know," Sofia admitted. "I just wish someone had told me."

"We were wrong, Sofia. And we are very sorry." Tears were starting to form in the king's eyes.

"What about my mother?" Amber asked. "The one you wished away?"

"What?" Roland exclaimed. "Wished away?"

"Sofia told me about how you wished for children. And because of that, my mother died."

"I did _not_ intend for her to die, Amber," Roland declared sharply, face contorted with anger. "I _loved_ your mother very much. I _did not_ know that the price for you and your brother was my wife. And her death has haunted me _just as much_ as the ones who fell during the Sea War.

"Do you not say I wished your mother away every again, understand?"

Amber flinched back, staring at her father with shock. "Yes Daddy."

"Let's go, Amber," Sofia said, dragging her sister out of Roland's office.

"Wait, girls, I didn't-!" he called after them but they were already gone. Roland slumped back into his seat, head in hands. "What have I done?"

* * *

 _"I love you, Roland," Miranda said as she sat in a small dinning chamber in the palace. The king had invited her here to propose. "But I still love my first husband."_

 _"I understand. I still love my first wife very much," Roland replied, taking her hand. "But I think we deserve another chance at happiness. And I think it could be with each other."_

 _"It's not just that," Miranda sighed. "Johnathon was drafted into the royal navy when I was pregnant with Sofia. His ship was attacked; the last attack of the Sea War."_

 _"You blame me?"_

 _"No, I know you did not cause his death. But…he was drafted by the palace." Miranda was blinking back tears. "I never told Sofia how he_ really _died because I wanted her to think well of her kingdom and the royals. I wanted to protect her."_

 _"My first wife died because of a wish," Roland blurted out. "I wished for children and the birth taxed her so much that she died. It was my fault."_

 _"Oh, Roland…"_

 _"I've made a lot of mistakes. Too many to count that have hurt both our families. But we have a chance to be happy again with each other. Our families could be joined and we could move past the pain of yesterday. Please, Miranda. I love you. And I am so sorry for what I did."_

 _"You don't need to be," Miranda assured him. "I forgive you. And I'm so sorry about your first wife."_

 _Roland got out of his chair and knelt before her, pulling out a ring._

 _"Miranda, will you marry me?"_

* * *

"I just made it worse!" Roland exclaimed to his wife that night.

"I'm sure they're just taking the time to process," Miranda assured him.

"No, I _yelled_ at them. When Amber accused me of being the cause of her mother's death I got so angry," Roland insisted, sinking onto a couch. "I've only pushed them further away."

Miranda placed a hand on his back. "You reacted how anyone would in the moment. It isn't fair of Amber to blame you for her death. It wasn't your fault."

"But what if…?"

"No, Roland. You've blamed yourself for so long. Don't start to do it again."

"I just wish I could do something to show them I still care."

"What if there was?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Mom?" Sofia asked as Miranda walked into her room early in the morning.

"Sofia, I have some things to show you," she said, sitting on the edge of Sofia's bed, a wooden chest in her lap. "I never have because I wanted to protect you and let you move on. But I feel like you're ready now."

Miranda opened the box, revealing a collection of letters, tiny paintings, and a little nick-nacks.

"These are all the letters your father wrote me when he was away," Miranda explained. "I've picked some for you to read. And this is a portrait of him. He used a month's wages to have it done for me."

The man had light brown hair with streaks of blond. His eyes were a bright blue and his skin was flushed red. His face was wider and he seemed a little on the shorter side. But his smile radiated love.

"You have his nose. I always thought that," Miranda said, pointing at the painting as Sofia held it. "The rest are just some of his things. A few family heirlooms and maybe something he carved once.

"But at the bottom," Miranda pulled out some folded cloth, "is one of his uniforms. They found it in the wreckage of the ship and sent it back to me. It still smells like him."

Sofia ran her fingers over the scratchy red material.

"I'm sorry I didn't share all this with you sooner. I just know how hard it is to move on from the death of a loved one and I didn't want that for you," Miranda apologized.

Sofia blinked back tears as she hugged the cloth to her chest.

"Thank you," she gasped. "Thank you."

"Are you still made with Roland?"

"No," Sofia admitted. "I was more mad that you two kept it from me."

"And that was wrong of us," Miranda agreed. "From now on, if you want to know anything about your father, just ask."

"Well….I did have a few questions."

"Ask away."

And mother and daughter sat together as the sun dawned, awash in old memories.

* * *

"This way, children," Roland urged the twins as he led them through the gardens. James followed eagerly while Amber trailed behind with her arms crossed.

Eventually they reached a section blocked off by bushes and a metal gate. Roland heaved a breath and entered it to find the wishing well standing in the setting sun.

"Why are we here?" Amber demanded.

"What is that thing?" James wondered.

"This is the wishing well I used to wish for children when we found out your mother was barren," Roland explained.

"Cool! Can I make a wish?" James exclaimed. Amber reached out and grabbed him.

"No, James," she hissed. "That well is dangerous."

"Your sister's right," Roland sighed. "The cost of my wish was the life of your mother. Having twins…it made her body so weak that she died within a week."

"So our mom…," James drifted off.

"Is dead because of you," Amber finished.

"Her death was not my fault," Roland patiently explained. "I did not understand. The guilt of her death weighed me down a long time but I have moved on."

"Well we haven't," Amber countered.

"Why haven't we?" James whispered to his sister.

"Because without that wish our mother would be here!" Amber exclaimed.

"Neither would we. And we wouldn't have Sofia or Mom," James argued.

"I realize you both feel differently," Roland cut in, "and I know that you, Amber, are still very mad. But I'm hoping to make it up to you."

"How?" Amber demanded.

"Tomorrow the royal masons will be dismantling the wishing well so that no one can ever use it again. It was something I should've done long ago. And I am here if you ever have questions about your mother," Roland explained.

"What did she like to do?" James asked.

"She loved the sky," Roland began with a smile. "At any time, if she was outside, she would look up. And she would paint pictures of it; they're still hanging up throughout the castle. And she was full of fire and spirit. Whenever I was indecisive, she was there to help me through it. She was so full of passion about so many things; children, education, housing. She also loved jewelry. The shinier the better."

"Did she name us?" James continued.

"She named Amber. After her favorite stone. I named you, James."

"Did she want children?" Amber cut in. "As much as you?"

"She was an only child," Roland said, eyes sad. "She always talked about wanting a house bursting with laughter, unlike hers. She wanted as many kids as she could have. And she was so happy when you two were born."

"Would she think your wish was worth it?" Amber asked.

"I'm…I'm not sure," Roland admitted. "I know she loved you two very much and would give anything for you. So I think she would have thought it was worth it.

"Amber, I truly am sorry."

"I know," Amber sighed. "I just…I went so long without a mom."

"But now we have Sofia and Mom," James insisted.

"And I am really grateful for them," Amber agreed. "But I just wish…I wish she didn't have to die."

Amber fell into her father's arms, tears streaming down her face. Roland hugged her tight, trying to hold his own tears back.

"I know, Amber. Believe me, I know," he murmured. "She loved you so much. She would be so proud of you and the young lady you're becoming. I'm sorry I could never fill the hole she left in your heart. I'm sorry I wasn't enough."

"No, Daddy, you were," Amber insisted through sobs. "You were perfect. I love you."

"I love you too," he gasped.

The three of them stayed there for a while longer, talking about the old queen, finding comfort in each other, grateful that they weren't going through it all alone.


End file.
